just a bit about me?:)
The trials and Tribulations of a Brain Injury Recovery
BY: Rick De Pol
Rickyd227@gmail.com
Surviving
Car Accident
Start at 80%
2% Leaving Morristown Hospital
2% Leaving J.F.K.
1% Going to T.L. (transitional living)
1% Leaving Transitional Living
2% Getting abdomen fixed (5-10-03)
2% Memory getting better
1% eyes w/o eye patch
2% w/o cane (9/17/02)
1% Diabetes in better control (not great but better)
1% Counting carbohydrates with my diabetes
1% riding my bike
2% SKIING
This adds up to 98%, Once a Head Injury happens, it is virtually impossible to obtain the 100% status, that was so easily attainable prior to the Head Injury.
DEDICATED
TO MY FAMILY, FLORENCE DE POL, RICHARD DE POL, KATHLEEN GAGG. ALSO, DEDICATED TO MY FRIEND TEDDY GARRAHAN FOR ALL HIS HELP AND SUPPORT.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To Mrs. Peterson, for being present through everyday of my recovery process, and also actively supporting my mother through this difficult time. An extra special thanks, goes to my mom through all of this. And also for the fact of buying me ink to print all of the copies of my book for people. And everyone else for his or her support and prayers and there is too many to mention. To Fr. Sean, for being with my family after the accident, and all morning long giving them support. Also, I would like to thank all the other family and friends that were through all of this with me. Also a special thanks to the tri-boro first aid squad and the EMTs. Also, to Fr. Jude and Fr. Michael for their support and prayers. And also an unbelievable special thanks to Dr. Felix Garcia, and Dr. Gandhi who work in the trauma E.R. at Morristown Memorial Hospital and Dr. Malone for all his help at J.F.K BTU. Dr. McCagg, my primary Dr., at Hartwyke at Oaktree, for being there through my thick and thin stages. I’m the type of person that you have to have a great deal of understanding about; Dr. McCagg has that gift of understanding people.
Contents
Introduction 5
Preface 6
Chapter 1 PG 7 The Call
Chapter 2 PG 7 Functions of the Brain
Chapter 3 PG 8, 9 Memory
Chapter 4 PG 9, 10 Coma
Chapter 5 PG 11 Stomach Surgery
Chapter 6 PG 12 Speech
Chapter 7 PG 12 Dr. Mc Cagg
Chapter 8 PG 13 Dr.Mott
Chapter 9 PG 13 T.L. Nurses
Chapter 10 PG 14 Diabetes
Chapter 11 PG 15 Aquatics
Chapter 12 PG 15 Summer Activities
Chapter 13 PG 16 Outpatient PT
Chapter 14 PG 17,18 Skiing at Windham
Chapter 15 PG 18,19 Therapeutic recreation
Chapter 16 PG 20 Vision
Chapter 17 PG 20, 21 Everyday Household Chores
Chapter 18 PG 21, 22 Vocational Work
Chapter 19 PG 23 Driving
Introduction
Let me start by telling you about myself before August 11, 2001
I was a man of 26 years and loved life and enjoyed making people happy. I graduated from the county college of Morris with an associate’s degree in Psychology, and then I went on to the University of Delaware where I received my bachelors in Psychology.
Growing up I worked as a lifeguard and a water safety instructor at local lakes and a lifeguard on the ocean during college. I also worked as a server in many restaurants while going to school. Also after college, I was in sales and enjoyed working with people. I always had a fondness in the medical field and was hoping to become a Pharmaceutical Rep. for one of the large companies out there.
I loved to ski and was a ski instructor. I lived in Colorado for a while where I skied and worked in restaurants. I drove across country and enjoyed the sights on the way. I also loved to play golf, darts, horseshoes, billiards, and mountain bike.
Now, there has to be an understanding with individuals that sustain a Brain Injury, that your old self may not be available anymore.
It’s a LIFE conditioning process, or relearning all over again.
As of August 11, 2001 all this has STOPPED
“Preface”
The first question your going to ask yourself is why is this person writing this? I’m doing this because it will get things off my chest and it saves a lot of time to just show someone this, instead of explaining it to them. I have had conversations with people about doing this, I thought that it was kind of bad to do this, but others have said it is good to do. The reason why, is because it vents some thoughts and also because it might show how lucky I am to have survived this mishap.
My accident happened at 12:15 am on Aug.11, 2001 on RT 23 South at the Morse avenue intersection in Butler N.J. I was making a u-turn to go RT 23 north. I went to cross the highway, after I got a midnight snack, to give a friend of mine a ride home. The light turned green and I proceeded across in a 2000 Nissan Altima, and got T-boned by a
Pickup truck.
The truck was driving at about 70 M.P.H. My car looked like a V after the accident. At the scene of the accident I was knocked unconscious. The highway got closed down because of the severity of the car accident. My heart stopped twice, once at the scene and then once at the hospital. I am, also lucky that I DIDN'T, have a seatbelt on. Because the car looked like a V, that would've meant, if I had a seatbelt on, the truck would've crushed me.
I was on life support for 8 weeks and was in a coma for 6 weeks.
Dr. Gandhi, Dr. Garcia, and Dr. Fazio work in the trauma ICU at Morristown Hospital where I was taken after the accident. Dr. Garcia said in the trauma ICU, “Let’s try one more time” to bring me back to life, and that’s where I rallied.
The results of my injuries was that I received TBI=Traumatic Brain Injury. I do remember that I saw Dr.Garcia before I got the abdomen surgery, and he said that I was ready to check out, and I said, “I’m not a hotel” "There isn't any checking out here".
Dr. Gondhi is leaving to be the director of a trauma center in Waco T.X. The last time that I will see him is when I get abdomen surgery.
Fifteen doctors said I wasn’t going to live immediately after the accident, and TADA, here I am, writing my biography. Earl Charles (the police officer that was at the accident scene, also was a friend of mine), I’m sorry for saying, that I wish I were dead, I’m sorry. It stinks that this happened to me, but I’m glad for the fact that everything was internal, and I have full functionality of all my body parts, and most of all, I’m able to ski again (yea-haw). I did transition from Morristown to J.F.K., on 9-11-01. Another lucky thing about the accident is that it happened exactly, one month before, the 9-11, incident. I got moved from Morristown to J.F.K, because they thought that they would get a large influx of patients because of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. But, they didn’t get any patients.
The injury was located on my frontal lobe. I received a term called shearing. Shearing, is a violent twist of the connections, of the neurons in your head?
At the scene of the accident, the other driver complained of chest pain from his seatbelt. I on the other hand it was much different. A helicopter didn’t take me, but some do. Every time you hear a helicopter the doctor’s beepers go off, and they go running because it’s someone coming into the trauma center. They didn’t fly me by helicopter, because it was quicker to take the ambulance, than to wait for the helicopter.
I’m very lucky, that everything was internal because, I have seen others with external scars. I always responded to this nurse Laura, and never to the doctors. The doctors would come into the room, and I would be non-responsive:)the good thing that happened about the accident, even though it stinks, is that my attitude hasn’t changed a bit; I’m still a jokester. The timeline of this, is that I had to relearn, all of my activities of daily living over again, they are termed the ADLs= Activities of Daily Living. I had to relearn how to work on my balance, to be able to walk again, my speech, to speak clearly again, and then also my daily intake of food because of my diabetes. I can’t over/under eat because it will affect my blood sugar. If you have any questions you can email me at rickyd7@optonline.net
Chapter 1
“The Call”
My sister and her husband Mike were at, Mike’s sister’s house in Virginia Beach, VA. Sleeping over to go to Mike’s nephews wedding the next day. My sister woke up in the middle of the night and her equilibrium was off, she then said to her husband Mike, “that something’s wrong”. He said, “Have some water and go back to sleep”. Her equilibrium was off, so much, that she felt as if she was drunk. And due to it, she was unable to pick my nephew Brian up, because he was crying. Well she tried to go back to sleep, but she really couldn’t.
Then in the morning as they were getting ready to go to the wedding, the phone rang and Mike’s wife answered the phone. Not my sister’s husband Mike, but the person’s house they were at. She then said, “They want Mike, Mike Gagg”. So my brother-in-law gets on the phone and talks to, my Uncle Frank. My sisters in the background and says, “It’s my dad he’s dead, isn’t he’? “No, it’s my brother he is!”
Well, I wasn’t dead, but the doctors didn’t believe I would pull through the night. I surprised a lot of people including myself. My sister, and her husband were in Virginia, getting ready to go to Mike’s nephews wedding, and when they got the call they flew home. My friend Erica got my sister and my nephew Bryan, a flight home on Continental Air lines, because she worked for them as a flight attendant. The rest I’ll talk about just shows that I kick butt in everything I do.
Chapter 2
“Functions of the brain
First, if you need more information on the brain look it up, I don’t feel like sittinghere and writing the life long history behind it. I injured the frontal lobe, which is responsible for motor skills, verbal communication, and memory. I injured the Broca’s area, that is responsible for short-term memory (STM), to long-term memory (LTM). My injury was a closed head injury, which is also termed, Diffuse Axonal Injury=DAI. The inability of signals to get transferred from neuron to neuron. For example, walking up a flight of stairs. The brain needs to transfer signals within the brain to achieve the task of putting one foot in front of the other in and upward motion
Brain Injuries are like snowflakes; every snowflake is totally different then the next. They are never identical. It’s like someone once said, “it’s like taking a shoebox with jell-o in it, and throwing it against the wall. The shoebox will stop, but the jell-o will keep going until it stops”, and that’s what happened to my brain. It also might be called, coup-countercoup injury, where the brain bounces from one side, to the other. I also had five broken ribs, a collapsed lung, fractured hip and pelvis. I had no visible injuries on my body. I had a tracheotomy, which is an airway inserted into your neck, so you are able to breathe without your lungs doing it, but a machine. I was on life support at the time. I had a feeding tube, J-tube, inserted into my stomach, which is used for a way for food to get into your body, and when it was time to take it out, I did it myself on my bed.
Dr. Medina, was getting ready to take it out, so I thought I would save him time, and I ripped it out myself, and the doctor was so kind to charge me for it. From the standpoint of survival, it appears that the plasticity of the brain to rework circuitry, and its capacity to repair itself following injury, use the very same methods that the brain uses to store memories.
Chapter 3
“Memory”
One of the biggest things that happened to me is that I injured my memory process. One example I have, is one time I was going out to dinner with my mom, aunt, and her friends. I forgot my diabetes management kit before we left. So in return we had to return to the house and get it.
Another thing I did once was, I was at the billiards hall and I left my jacket there and also my large coffee container. I can sit here for a while, and write about the things I’ve forgotten before, but I forgot, just joking.
Now, I leave you with another thing that I did. I once was going skiing, and I forgot my skiing helmet, so I had to rent one there. I did remember to bring it the next time though. But it’s the little things that drive me nuts. This doesn’t happen at all now but it did before.
Currently my memory is at about 97%, it’s only every once and a while that I will forget something. Another explanation that my memory was back was on my mom’s birthday (9/5), she asked me to give her a kiss and I puckered up my lips. This was while I was in a coma. I also went skiing with my sister and her husband and I had to remember everything before we left, which I did.
I remember when I was at H.A.O.T.
(Hartwyke at Oaktree, Edison N.J.)
They instructed me to take notes, and at first I didn’t want to do it, but now, I love the fact of adding new information into my biography. I did start to enjoy it more and more, so much that when I was at H.A.O.T., the therapist asked me for my notes so she can copy them, and when she viewed them she was very surprised, at how thorough they were. I even started to write notes to myself, for things that I want to accomplish the following day, a to do list. I also think that my memory was good up until a month before the accident. Like, I was on vacation in Mexico and I remember very little of it. I really don’t remember the night of the accident, and the doctors said that’s a good thing because the memory of it would be too traumatic for me. I was told that I left the bar I was at, to get something to eat at G&A, s bagels. Then on my way back it happened. I do remember the past long-term thoughts. Like, people I knew from the past.
I went to church on Easter, at 12 noon. It was amazing that I remembered “Thee Our Father” and all the prayers that you say out loud. When I came out of the coma, my mom came to see me then she left to eat. 5 minutes later my sister came in the room and asked, “if anyone had come to visit” and I said “no”. My mom knew right there, that something was wrong. All the while my mom was in the next room.
Chapter 4
“Coma”
I was measured on the Glaxco coma scale for coma victims and my rating was a 3, the scale ranges from 3-15(3 being the most severe and 15 being very mild). I know this because I ordered the hospital records from Morristown Hospital. At the scene of the accident the police found me with my eyes open, but I was not breathing. It’s amazing I should have been dead, but I’m sitting here writing this. I was in a coma for 6 weeks and on life support for 8 weeks. I also was on a morphine drip. Leslie, who is a friend of my moms, and a doctor, did a whole check of my body after the accident, and she saw that my feet were pointing straight, and when this happens it means; you’ll be a goner.
When I got out of the coma, I was in a wheelchair with a table on it, and the wheelchair tilted back, because I couldn’t sit up by myself. I kept trying to rip it off every time I got in it.
First, I was in a bed with restraints, then a floor bed. The only thing that I was able to remember is that when I was at H.A.O.T, I had to go to the bathroom and they told me that I had to ring the bell for the nurse (not so).
I was in a net bed or should I say zipper bed. One that zips up from the outside so it’s difficult to escape. But, I got out, and the way I got out was that I punched it, where it zippered at the bottom, and when you do that it breaks and you can slide out the bottom.
After I did that, I went to the bathroom and then went to the nurse’s station and asked, “if I could go back to bed”? They looked at me with a confused look and asked, “who are you”, and I said, “I’m Rick De Pol”. They then said, “You can’t, be he’s in bed”. Uh duh, I’m right here.
When I went to J.F.K., I was not moving at all. My PT and OT therapists, were Mindy and Amend, and speech was Barbara, after two days they had me moving my left arm, then it was all up hill from there. I do remember how I did away with the cane.
The way, that I got rid of the cane was I asked my PT if I can walk across the air mattress, and she said, “yes”. So I walked across it. Not the way she thought I would do it. I went sideways crossing on foot over the other which is termed “carioca or grapevine”.
And they thought I was going to walk across it forwards. NAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
I also took myself off the cane, when I went to Philadelphia eye institute to get my double vision corrected. I said to my MOM, that, ”when I go to Philly to get my eye surgery, that I will discontinue using my cane”. So, I made it a goal in my mind, to stop using an aid for walking, even started to run a little bit, (still it’s hard).
I also liked to sleep a lot before my accident. So much, that in the past I would have such a good dream that I would wake up for a minute then go back to sleep to finish the dream.
Now I don’t dream at all. Let me reiterate that, I had one last night, on 3/23/04. I’m on the insulin pump right now, and I had a dream that I had to back onto saline solution, because that’s what they start you with so you can get used to it, and therefore it would be on placebo insulin.
I also had prayers around the world, and I think that contributed to my amazing recovery. I have to tell you, that first I was in Morristown Memorial Hospital, then I went to J.F.K. BTU=Brain Trauma Unit, then I continued on to H.A.O.T., which is a rehab center for head injuries. Now, I’m currently out of rehab.
I do remember one time when I was at H.A.O.T I went to bed really early, at 10pm, and I really don’t need that much sleep. I need 6 hours of sleep, so I woke up at 5am and nobody gets there till 7am, so I just lay there with nothing to do. When I’m at home, I need 6 hours of sleep and will wake up, when I get to that 6-hour sleep mark, and will shut my alarm clock off. I thought that alarm clocks are made for them to wake you up, and not the opposite, of you turning them off before, they go off.
For some, comas are like black holes. It starts to suck you in then it’s too late to re-enter reality. But I rejected the force of the gravitational pull. I thank GOD everyday, and also my grandmother who was very religious, for re-entering this world with full functionality. OH, I remember, or actually I was told, that I used to sleep in a FLOOR BED, because of the harm I might do to myself trying to move about.
Chapter 5
“Stomach Surgery”
My stomach was not connected and the reason why the abdomen muscles weren’t connected is because in the past, when and around the coma stage, I had peritonitis and sepsis, which is an infection from the feeding tube. The doctors had to open me up, and keep me open for 24 hours, and then go back in, and close me up again. Only on the outside and not closing up all the muscles on the inside. And, I don’t like the fact that I have to wear an abdominal girdle everyday. I once threw it out, but the doctors said that they wouldn’t do the surgery, if I didn’t wear it. And, I can’t wait for the day where I don’t have to wear it anymore.
Well, I’ll wear it for six weeks or longer; it might all depend on my recovery rate. It will help not to overexert the muscles. I saw the plastic surgeon on 6/30/03 and he said, “I can wear it only if I want to”, like I like wearing it. The surgery took place on May 12th, 2003 at Morristown Hospital. I was in the hospital from May 12th- May 15th.
What they had to do was reconnect the abdomen muscles that were disconnected because of the infection that I had, and had to wait one year to reconnect them again. I was talking with the plastic surgeon, and he said, “That it would be good if they keep me under for two days”, because, I can cough and ripe the stitches out, then the doctors would have to start at square one with the operation. But it went so well, that I was only under for five hours, and then they brought me back to this world.
And the plastic surgeon said,” I will do most of the work at the end of the surgery”. After the surgery was over there were drains put in to catch the extra secretion, so one night I went in the bathroom and pulled them out, then put tissue over it to stop the bleeding. Well, later on they found out where I threw them out, but I hated having them attached to me.
Another thing that I did, and I believe it was because I was under anesthesia, was that I not only ripped the backing to the bed off, but I kept asking, if I could go play pool in the family room, that they didn’t have. But it looked like the establishment I was in, when I was in rehab in Edison. Currently, I have about 100 stitches on the outside of my abdomen and they will be taken out on May 20th. I used to ride my bike to the bar, I go to play pool at, but soon after the abdomen surgery, my parents took the bike away, so now I walk there. On 6/30/03 I got my bike back “ye haw”.
Most of what I am writing about just shows that you should never give up in what you want, and need to achieve throughout your LIFE.
Chapter 6
“Speech”
One of the major problems from my injury is that my speech was garbled. It’s not like I can’t retrieve the proper words. I had this problem called Dysarthia, which are problems with muscle movement.
I like to sing the lyrics of songs, to first work on the pitch then the pronunciation. Before my accident, I used to talk in a rapid manner, now I repeat myself if I think the other party doesn’t understand me. I still have to drink with a straw9/28/02.
First, I was one pudding thick liquids then nectar thick with a spoon, now I drink with a straw, the next step is to go get a swallow test to see if I still silently aspirate, which I highly doubt I’ll do.
Silently aspirating, is when liquid goes down the wrong pipe and you are unaware of it.
It was funny; on new-years eve I made thickened wine because I might have silently aspirated it.
I also had a roommate at the time “Pauletto”, and I told him, that I was going to kill him. Well, that didn’t go over real well because they changed my room immediately. I had to also do speech exercises and when the speech therapist and I met in a room, there was a computer in there and I used to write “SUPERCALAFRAGALISTICEXPEALADOSIOUS”.
I have noticed that my speech has gotten a lot better. And now I can talk with a constant change in, pitch and tone. And other people have remarked on the amazing recovery.
Chapter 7
“Dr.McCagg”
My primary care doctor is Dr.McCagg who works on the second floor at H.A.O.T. in Edison. She oversees most of the, going ons there. Her office resides on the second floor. She handles her job with expertise. And she handles all situations diligently and with dignity. But seriously, I want to thank her. She has done a documentary on HBO, termed “COMA”.
Chapter 8
“Dr.Mott”
Dr. Mott works at H.A.O.T. I have psychological therapy with her and she is a nuropsyhologist. What we do is we play cards sometimes. We play a game called Russian bank and it would be too much to explain all of it. She used to work at Kessler before she worked at H.A.O.T. Well there’s so much to thank her for I’ll save you the time.
Chapter 9
“TL Nurses”
Their names are Fran G. and Bev. They’re good people, they’re good because they work with you, to make your condition the most enjoyable even though, you’re there because it’s not a choice you had, but they make it the most enjoyable. Even though it stinks with the aliment I have, (Diabetes). But at times I have to take injections and they are nice enough to give me the injection if it’s hard to reach the area. They also give me information of where and when; I gave my last shot. I joke with them sometimes like in the morning I act overly hyper and say to them “I need my Ritalin”. They have, a lot to deal with, and they do a fabulous job at it. But I get mad sometimes, about my blood sugar numbers and have outbursts. I want to say I’m sorry, and hopefully my numbers will get better. I also want to thank Carolyn Brown, for her help even though she knows that she is a, “shop alcoholic”. She would also get upset at the way I drove the wheelchair, always marking up the walls by smashing into them.
Chapter 10
“Diabetes”
I was diagnosed with Diabetes when I was 16. Diabetes is another life, for example I check my blood sugar a lot, and I carry my blood glucose checker (my woobi), with me everywhere I go. Sometimes, when my blood sugar is low I get confused.
Like once, I came upstairs and asked my mom where I was. She thought I was joking but she knew I was serious only after I asked again. One time, if you know anything about diabetes and blood sugars, I once had a blood sugar of 31 and was winning at cards with the night nurse at H.A.O.T. A normal blood sugar range is between 90-120. In the past, if I had a low blood sugar, I would get shaky, and if I had a high, I would get tired. Now, I don’t feel the highs or lows at all. I also rarely get hungry anymore. I also make about two quarts of iced French Vanilla coffee everyday and drink it throughout the day. Like right now its 7am and I’m enjoying it. Coffee has no effect on me; I can drink it up until bedtime. At home and when I was in rehab, I used to pick out my breakfast the night before, in order to know the carbohydrates I would have. My Blood Sugar numbers are bad sometimes; for example they were once 395,405,495” what the heck is that about? The doctors feel that the BS numbers are out of control because of my brain injury and I think they are right. I try to control my BS numbers but a lot of people, including myself, can’t figure out why they are all over.
With my diabetes, I have to count carbohydrates and I do fairly well at it. To me, diabetes is another form of a life you have to pay close attention to. Like, I have an insulin pump that I have to constantly keep in order. I have to change my set of insulin injectors (every 3 days) that are attached to me and provide me with a constant flow of insulin to my body. Being Diabetic is another life really, constant checking of the blood sugar and monitoring of the food intake. Oh, and changing the devices used with the pump. I call the pump I have my, “Pocket Pancreas”.
Chapter 11
“Aquatics”
Aquatics are exercises in the water. What it does is it works on your balance. And it’s in the water so if you fall you are in the water so there is a cushion for you to fall on. In the water there is a stair master, treadmill, ski machine, bicycle, and also water resistance with a board that I put against my chest to cause resistance while walking in the water. There is also balancing by the instructor, throwing a ball to me while standing on one leg. I like the water so it therefore doesn’t bother me to be in the water and also, I used tobe a lifeguard on the ocean at Long Beach Island I was swimming once and the instructor tied a rope around my waist to keep me in a straight line. She would tug the rope to tell me I was going off course.
Chapter 12
“Summer Activities”
Over the summer, I went to L.B.I. for summer vacation and went in the ocean swimming. I did fairly well at it. I also got a soccer ball for a present and what I was doing was kicking it up a hill so in turn it would roll back to me where I would kick it again.
I’m the type of person that if I want to accomplish something I will find the best way to achieve it, and if there are things, that will waste my time, I will avoid doing them. Like I had PT exercises to do, and I never did them because first, they were too easy and second, I really didn’t think they helped me because, they were so easy to do.
I also went to L.B.I. and rented a wave runner. With jet skis you can cut the wheel real hard, and it will do a 360-degree spin but unfortunately after losing my glasses, I found out that wave runners are unable to achieve the task of doing 360 degrees. When I was a student at University of Delaware, I played ultimate Frisbee.
Chapter 13
“Outpatient Physical Therapy”
I started going to Kessler Rehab in Riverdale. This gentleman named Dan tested me. One of the tests that were given was to stand on one leg for as long as possible. I think that I did rather well at it. I think, that from being in a wheelchair, to standing on one leg is a big accomplishment.
Some things I did were I would walk in the middle of the tiles [][][][][] and then also I would take a piece of Styrofoam and I would step over it sideways. I also read a story about this gentleman named Dana Bowman, who is amputated from the knee down from a skydiving accident. He also skis. He’s just a highly motivated person, and he doesn’t think anything is impossible in life, which I believe also. I’ve also gone into a room and said to myself,” Oh wait I forgot something”, and would do a complete 180 degree turn, and go back where I came from. Then on 5/23/04 I kept 1 foot raised and put on a shoe.
I got tested one day and it was the berg balance scale and I got 52 out of 56 on the scale,” NOT BAD HUH”. I also would walk close to things, like close to trees, in the case I lose my balance, there is something in my pathway, to stop my fall.
I did discontinue going here and started to go to the YHMA in Wayne N.J. for PT and ST and they informed me that I would be finishing therapy come Dec. 30th.
I’ve gotten bar-ed from certain places that serve liquor, because of the way I walk into the place, they think that I am tanked (Drunk).
Chapter 14
“Skiing at Windham”
I went skiing at Windham, N.Y. and I did very well. I found it easier going down stairs sideways then forwards with ski boots on. I did go down the mountain clenching my hands in front of me without poles that help out with my balance. I even went off a jump; it was a big one and I leaned a little too far back and did what’s called a “back slap”, then came back up.
At first the instructors let me make turns smooth then they let me do whatever I wanted. At first, I made turns to the right and to the left “smooth”. I really like to go fast but they told me not Togo fast, but I denied their wishes sometimes and went fast, “oh well”. My legs didn’t hurt like they usually do either. I did much better than I expected to do, I surprised myself even.
There’s a gentleman there named Dave and he’s a double amputee from the Vietnam War and he walks so well that you wouldn’t even know it. 3/8/03 there was a handicapped race at Windham and I got first place in my category. In the race I went trough gates and missed one and gained five seconds on my time, but the next time down I realized the first time that I did that, so I remembered the gate, and made it. I was so excited at the end, after I crossed the finish line, I shot my hand up in the air, and they took a photo that was shown on the front cover of the ski magazine that they have. Then after the race was over, I went up a lift that brings you to the top and I didn’t want to go to the top, so in return I had to figure the best way down with the least difficulty. I went down a trail called lower whistler, which is a blue square (Intermediate). I also went down the park and there was a jump/drop-off. After it was all over I was very amazed at the amazing accomplishments. There were other people in the race that used devices that were called:
1) Outriggers= Ski poles with six inch skis at the bottom of them
2) Mono-skis= A chair with one ski attached to the bottom of it.
3) Bi-Skis= A chair with two skis attached to the bottom.
I just thought of something to add. When, I was messing around after the race was over, I was making wide turns. I found out that it was more difficult, to make turns to the right using my left leg than making turns to my left using my right leg, the one that kicks out when I walk.3/24/03 I went skiing today and I believe that it’ll be the last time because the snow is melting very quickly. I did nothing out of the ordinary really, except ski backwards like the instructors there do. When I went backwards, I skied from left to right, and so forth. I also went down the half-pipe but from what I saw, the one side was awkward so I would be unable to catch air. So I went down without catching air.
WHEELCHAIR>BIKE>SKIING
There was a mogul field but I think that my balance isn’t there yet and I will wait till next year to try them. It was so nice on that I had a fleece on and because it was so nice out I took that off and just wore the t-shirt that the adaptive ski foundation sponsored. This was the first time my legs did not hurt. I got a cut above my eye but was unaware at how I got it. I also had two cuts on my knuckles. To remember it, I’ve got to get hurt really badly or if it is amusing to me, I will remember it. Like one time I was coming up the stairs and I got to the top step and feel backwards, and knocked the back of my head on the door and laughed. Then another time I was slicing up a lime for my corona with a razorblade and slipped and sliced the palm of my hand and got 5 stitches in it. And one other time, I was in Philly getting eye surgery and afterwards, in the hotel, I was banging the walls.
Chapter 15
“Therapeutic Recreation”
Their names are Eryn and Jean at H.A.O.T. Eryn works upstairs and Jean works downstairs at the building I was in. I was in a wheelchair at first, then a walker and then a cane and now I currently have no device to assist me. I got off the cane on 9/17/02. In Therapeutic Rec. we had out trips and what that helped with was community re-integration and we would go places, like the mall, or to parks, or other places with community atmosphere.
I have what’s called ataxia in my right leg. What it does is it kicks out when I walk. It’s gotten better but it still exists and because of it, it’s almost impossible to run, and I’ve tried before.
I went skiing down my front lawn once 1/? /02. I made a 100$ bet with a doctor, that I would do it, and not fall and I won the bet. I also worked at the top of Keystone resorts at a restaurant called “The Alpenglow Stube”. And when there was a full moon, my friends and I used to go to the continental divide and ski. So I think that skiing shouldn’t be a problem for me. I went skiing and snowboarding on 2/22/04 at mountain creek in Vernon N.J. and I only took two runs snowboarding but from what was done I was very pleased with what has been done. I also like to play billiards. At H.A.O.T. they have a pool table in the family room and I play there a lot with a fellow named John, and he plays with one hand because he had a stroke, and the other hand doesn’t work. It’s hard to snooker him. And I also play with Jean who works there. I play billiards in N.J. at an establishment called Crown Billiards. I play there with my neighbor Teddy who is rated 30th in the world for billiards.
I also played golf one time and did well at it. I also go to clubs sometimes and dance. I used to be a very good dancer, so eventually it will all come back to me. On 11/22/03 I went down a hill on my bike hands free with no problem and it was a distance of about a half of a mile. I haven’t done this since my accident. I also got a CD burner for Christmas and it works on my memory so I don’t repeat a song on there twice. On Easter I went to my sister’s house and they have a trampoline there. What I was doing was I was bouncing on it then I would bounce on my butt then back onto my feet. When I was doing it you have to keep a good center of gravity. I played in a pool tournament at the bar I go to, and I won first place and received some money. I went to AC and stayed at the Borgata. It was new and very nice. I play Black Jack mostly and “video poker”. I did eventually walk with $150 and the reason, is that I left a winner and because let’s just say I start with $50, if I lose it I will leave, but if I start to win, I will put part of the winning portions in my pocket and play with what I have in my hand, and if I lose that, then I will leave.
I go hiking sometimes, and I went to Ramapo state park and met these two people there named, Dawn and Denise. I went hiking with them because I was unsure of the possibilities of getting hurt. They were very nice and it was nice to have companionship while hiking. I went today 3 10 06 and I went rock hopping over a stream. That was tuff, but in PT they teach foot placement which you need when rock hopping. Afterwards, I was in the mood to do more hiking so I traveled to a place called Pyramid Rock in Kinnelon, NJ.
I read quite a bit also, and I have read this passage and it is so true: Your initial desire to live PEACEFULLY, in a world that the media reports has gone berserk, is a spiritually balanced desire. In order to materialize your desires, you must extend thoughts that match the energy of that desire. Thoughts of hate will not blossom into your desired peacefulness, and the reason has been repeated throughout the decades. “You attract more of which you wish to eradicate”.
Chapter 16
“Vision”
I was diagnosed with double vision and because of it I have to follow a reading with my finger. I was supposed to wear an eye patch but I didn’t because I thought it looked foolish. I also had Prisms put onto my glasses, to have the objects that I looked at to be inline with each other. I had surgery on September 16th, 2002 at Philadelphia’s eye institute to correct it. It worked somewhat, when I look above the horizon, moving, my eyes to look up, and keep the head still, I see double still. I did learn to compensate for it though. My vision is not blurred and I still have a wide range of vision. A book says that after six months it should get better and it has. I even began to wear contacts like I did before. It’s a good thing that I have a side vision because when I’m riding my bike I can look out of the side of my eye to see if there is traffic coming so I’m able to cross the street. I do have to add that when I went to Philly to get my eye surgery to correct the double vision problem that I had, that’s when I chose to not use the cane anymore. So, I would have to say that when I have something made up in my mind, I accomplish it. That was the ending of the cane era.
Chapter 17
“Everyday Household Chores”
On 2/19/03 I went up onto the deck and we have water leaking down from the gutter onto the deck and a sheet of ice formed there, so I had to break the ice up with a shovel and throw it off the deck. I came inside for a bit because my hands got cold but then I went back out and finished it. I also went down under the deck and we had water leaking down from the deck above that froze. I also keep my room tidy at all times. Some quotes that I wanted to add where, ”You gain your strength and confidence by every experience where you stop to look fear in the face and say to yourself, I have lived through this…. I can take the next thing that comes along”. “During trying times keep on trying”! “You can’t create experience you must undergo it” (Albert Calamus). I just shoveled the bottom part of the driveway and made a path to get to the car on (3/6/03) and also the back and front walk. I went to a seminar on 3/26/03 by Dr. Fred Luskin and to start with I was late because I was getting a root canal done. He talked about human emotions. To give two examples of it he said were; that fearfulness equals stress, and calming thoughts equal no stress. His lecture was quite informative. Afterwards my mom and I were leaving and on our way out we hit a pothole that gave us a flat tire. So, I loosened up the lug nuts and started to lift the car up with a cheapjack. Then, the car slide forwards and bent the jack that was so sturdy. Then, a gentleman Chris showed up who was at the lecture also and helped. Then a kid Anthony showed up and helped also. He even got a ride from campus security to go retrieve a jack from his car. Afterwards, he showed up with a jack and we changed the tire. My mom offered them money, but they declined. Well, after it was all said and done, we got through it with a little help from the angels that they were. I started to do the leaves in the front and backyard. I’m not going to give all the details I’ll just give a start and finish date (3/26/03-4/19/03). On 2/18/03 I just moved a big closet from one room to another. The way that I did it was I took off the doors to it and then reassembled them when I finished moving it. It was very intriguing how it was done. I also went over my friend’s house and I had to take every step carefully because there was snow to either side of me. I also red a story about a gentleman named Dana Bowman who was amputated from the knee down from a skydiving accident. He also skis. And he’s just a highly motivated person, and he doesn’t think anything is impossible in life. I shoveled my deck of about 2 feet of snow. It was hard but at least I’m glad I got it done. I do cut the lawn whenever it needs it. On 3/9/03 I just spackled our bathroom because we are getting tile put in (3/9/03-3/11/03). It really worked on my balance because I had to stand on a ladder that was shaped like an upside-down V. So in the near future we will be showering in our new bathroom. I started to do leaves again It’s like that song;” here comes the rain again falling on your head like a bad memory”.
On 10/01/06 I started to build a rock wall with my dad. A wall fell down so we have to rebuild it from all the pieces that fell.
I used to shower in a chair in the shower due to my balance.
Chapter 18
“Vocational Work”
I started a new program on September 17th, 2002 and it correlates with work. It will last about four months from nine am to three pm and it ends the day I get released December 20th. I’m fairly excited about it. Greenwich Home Mortgage is a place I worked at previous to my accident. I was a sales accountant there, but unfortunately I will discontinue having contact with the clients because of my memory issues. I also wanted to become a pharmaceutical representative but the problem with that is that there is a large amount of communication in there, and also walking. I like to work on computers, and maybe I will do that. I had Kathleen for vocational therapy. I had to take a test to see what my occupational capacities are. They were questions that you had to figure out in your head like for example, how many hours are there in a year. Well, It looks like I have to start back from square one with my occupational goals. Like, for example, I was working at a daycare center. I have to be there to cover workers going to lunch. I like the kids there; they each have their own personalities.
7/17/06, a nueropsychologist just retested me to see where; I stand now with my functionality of my reasoning, and thinking style. I was told, that I did well; I had an increase in my reasoning styles and quickness of functionality.
Now I started at a place close to me called, “Opportunity Project”. I have started in WAT=Work Adjustment Training. What this course teaches you is work styles, and the certain aspects that are essential to holding a job, it has been teaching me certain ways to acquire coping strategies to excel in the work, that I may obtain. They are teaching me the certain dos and don’t, when I get employed.
I just started a job at BJs wholesale club. Right now, I am working in the back and re-shopping items back, onto the shelves for sale. I have big plans for my future; just have to gain some sort of experience first. This job was only seasonal, but I did start to work at Path mark near me, a grocery store. I am working a checkout lane, expediting purchases of food by the customers.
Now, I am currently at Target, about a mile from my house in Riverdale, N.J. I have been there for close to two years now. I work on the sales floor and also am a cashier at times.
I am also doing voluntary work, and I am on the Board of Directors, for a non-profit company called DAWNcil=Disability Advocates for Northwest NJ center for independent living. Their website is
www.DAWNcil.org
Chapter 19
“DRIVING”
I took a test in December 2002. It was a board they call the touch board. What it does is it has lights on it that you will hit when they light up. It also has numbers that flash in the middle of it. What you have to do is hit the button with your hand, then, at the same time call out the number that flashes in the middle of the board. These checks for your side vision capacity, and also reaction time. I did fairly well at it I scored a 90%. I have driven on back roads, and also on the highway, and had absolutely no trouble at it. I did get a 1999 Honda Accord with only 27k miles on it. It’s a good thing also that I never had a seizure because I would have to be seizure free for a year before I’m eligible top drive again. My memory of driving hasn’t been impacted at all; it’s still all there. From not driving for this long, it’s amazing how bad the drivers are out there now. Totally blind, to the majority of the rules of the road.
I always was taught that you pass in the left lane (fast lane), and you don’t ever pass in the right lane (slow lane). I guess rules have changed in others minds, Now it’s a total switch of lanes, people are passing in the slow lanes, and are going extra slow in the fast lanes, I would guess others have noticed this also?
Diffused external?
8/12/01
Most important: take each day one at a time
Could get pneumonia-common
Several spots on brain, no one clump (good)
Will probably do a tracheotomy (small incision and small scar on throat).
Squeezing hand is ok but would be better if he could squeeze hand and let go would be much better.
Important: Don’t live at hospital
Rick we need us more now than later.
Long road ahead of us.
Good that he can move feet on command.
Good-No swelling in brain.
He is not in pain.
Rehab will probably be at J.F.K brain trauma unit.
My Aunt Debbie took these notes while the doctor was speaking.
J.F.K= John F. Kennedy in Edison N.J.
Tri-boro First Aid squad=Butler N.J.
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